Grease retainer puller and the like



June 22, 1943.

E. A. M KEE EI'AL GREASE RETAINER FULLER AND THE LIKE Filed March 18 1940 INVE-NTORS. EARL A. McKEE.

J05 PH ASCHA HTELL. 7 e

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 22, 1943 GREASE RETAINER FULLER AND THE LIKE Earl A. McKee and Joseph A. Schachtell, Chicago, 111.

Application March 18, 1940; Serial No. 324,492 2 Claims. (01. 29:88.2)

This invention relates to a puller and more particularly to a grease retainer ring puller, although it may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially the provision of an improved puller that can be remotely controlled to expand members thereon for insertion behind an internally located body to efiect the convenient removal thereof.

The need for pulling instrumentalities is predominantly present in the removal of an internal member or members comprising part of an assembly unit. This is particularly true in removing grease retainer rings that are remotely confined within shaft housings where access is difficult and removal of such parts ordinarily entails a great deal of time, labor and expense.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is to provide an improved puller that is extensible within narrow constrictions for positioning behind elements to be pulled or removed andcan be expanded by an arm actuator.

Still another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive expansible element engaging member in conjunction with a moment arm for enabling the effective and convenient removal of parts.

A further object is to provide pivotally associated members that cooperate with each other to fulcrum one relative to the other for effectively pulling parts that are not readily accessible.

'A still further object is to provide interconnected levers to serve as a fulcrum for effectively pulling parts engageable by an expansible member provided thereon.

Still a further object is to provide an expansible part engaging member mounted on an arm for insertion in ordinarily inaccessible positions with a remotely operable actuator to render such expansible behind the inaccessible part to be removed therewith.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a puller embodying features of the present invention, it being shown applied to a grease retainer assembly shown in dotted outline.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line II-'-'II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a part ongaging jaw member shown in assembled position in Figure 1. i g V Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line IVIV of Figure 1 Figure 5 is an edge view in elevation of the device shown in Figure 1. V

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line VIVI of Figure 1.

The structure selected for illustration comprises an elongated bar stamped, forged or otherwise shaped from rectangular sheet material to define an elongated W handle ID. The handle member ID has an offset extremity II that is disposed laterally of the plane of the handle Ill to serve as a fulcrum mount for a jaw [2. The jaw I2 is cast, forged or otherwise shaped from a metalilc bar to present furcated extremities l'3-=-l4 that are provided with aligned bores I5 to receive a pin l6 therethrough with the nandle member offset ll disposed therebetween for pivotal connection therewith.

It will be observed that the jaw l2 has its free engaging end serrated as at I! to engage a rim or end surface I8 which, in this instance, constitutes an upwardly mounted flange of an axle housing l9. The furcations |3--I4 on the jaw I2 are defined by an intermediate slot 20 that freely receives the offset handle member H to permit pivotal movement relative thereto before engaging the handle member extremity edge 2| serving as a stop therefor. In order to enable the convenient expansion of the handle member I0 from a suitable anchoring expedient such as a nail or the like mounted on the wall or bench, an aperture 22 is provided in the free extremity 23 thereof.

In order that the handle member I I] may serve as a fulcrum for other instrumentalities, it is pro+ vided with alongitudinal slot 24 proximate to the offset extremity ll thereon to present spaced bores 25, 26 and 21, in this instance three, which communicate with the elongated slot 24 (Figures 1 and 2) to receive a flat stud 28 therethrough. The fiat stud 28 has a diameter that substantially corresponds with the bores 25, 26 and 21 for retention therein against displacement; however, diametrically disposed fiat sides 29 and 30 are provided on the stud 28 to correspond with the width of the elongated slot 24 for displacement therealong when the stud 28 is rotated so that its sides 29:80 are in registry with the elongated slot 24.

When the flat sides 29-30 are out of registry with the slots 24, the intermediate aligned porwith one of the series of apertures32, in this 1 instance six, provided along thelongitudinal dian line of a lever 33. i I

A threaded nut 34 engages the stud 28 to retain the elongated lever 33 on the stud 28 serv ing as a pivotal mount therefor. The elongated lever 33 is disposed at an angle or normal to the housing member II! to present a free extremity 35 which is adapted to enter a restricted opening or inaccessible interior of any member such as an aXle housing I9 (Figure 1). A lever extension 36 beyond the other edge of the handle member ID, serves as a manual grip totposition and control the pivotal direction of the lever extremity 35. -The extent of projection of the lever extremity 35 is determined by the expansion of the pin 28 through one of the series of apertures 32 and to this end the threaded nut 34 is removable from the pin 28 to permit this adjustment along the lever 33, the latter being laterally adjustable along the handle grip member ID within the limits of the elongated slot 24 to enable the axial positioning thereof within a chamber such as the axle housing I9 so that the jaw I2 will be engageable with its periphery such as the flange I8.

Because of the offset I I provided on the handle member I0, it will be apparent that the engaging jaw I2 serves as a fulcrum in the plane of the lever 36 that is pivotally attached to the handle member I0 beyond the offset extremity II thereof to compensate'for the thickness of the lever 36that is disposed adjacent to the fiat side of the handle member I0. In order to enable the removal of normally inaccessible parts such as grease retainer rings 31 from the interiors of devices such as, in this instance, an axle housing I9, a pair of gripping members 38'and 39, in this instance two, are pivotally mounted to the extremity 35 of the lever 33. i To this end, the gripping members 3839. are of substantially U-shaped cross-section so that they confront each other to receive the lever bar 36 'therebetween for full collapsible association therewith. Pivotalmounting pins 40 and ll extend through apertures 42 provided. in the U- shaped grippers 3839 and project through corresponding apertures provided in the lever bar extremity 35 so that the g ppers 38-.39 can pivot relative thereto from an extreme collapsed position (shown in full lines in Figure 1) to an angular expansible position (shown in dotted outline in Figure 1) r .The grippers 38-39 arerendered expansible and held in any adjusted expanded position by means of a plate 43 provided with a spear-head 44 atone extremity thereof to enter between the grippers 3839 and effect their spreadin displacement about their pins NF-4 I To this end, an expansible actuator plate .43 is provided with lateral flanges 4'5 and 46 that are bent to conform with the shape of the lever bar 33 to define an embracing closure 41 thereon. The embracing closure 41 serves asa body guide for the spear- Ital grippers 38-39. "fore, that the grippers 38-39 can be expanded T from a remote point proximate to the pivotal .15

lated with the'attendan'ts finger to displace the spear head 44 bored away from the complemen- It will be observed, therestud 28 that serves as a connection between the handle member Ill and lever bar 33 and thus will be'freely expansible even after the extremity 35 oftheleverbar 33 has been inserted for an apfor the maximum extend within the confines such as acylindrical interior wall 50 of a wheel housing I9, the extremities of the grippers 3839 are .cutjon the bias as at 55 for alignment with the interior wall 50 of any member I9 after the grippers 3839 have been expanded to their maximum distance to effect contact therewith. This is usually accomplished after the lever bar extremity 35 together with its collapsed grippers 3339 have been inserted beyond a part such-as the grease retainer ring 31 to be removed from the interior of the member l3.

Thereupon,-the lip 49 is grasped by the attendants finger to displace the spear 40 with its body 43-41 along the lever bar 33 to actuate and separate grippers 3839 for retention in any expanded position. With this accomplished in the manner illustrated in dotted outline in Figure l, the attendant can hold the lever bar handle extension 36 while displacing the handle member I0 in a clockwise direction with the other hand (viewed from Figure 1) so that the-fulcrum .jaw I2 will engage the rim or flange l5 of the tubular member I9 and thus displace the lever bar 33 outwardly with the part to be removed such as the grease retainer ring 37.

It will be apparent, therefore, that the part to be removed such as the retainer 31 is engaged from behind by the grippers 3839 and forwardly removed in a direction commensurate with the displacement of the lever bar 33. The lever bar 33 is readily displaced on-the comparatively large movement arm that is presented between the fulcrum jaw I2 and the handle member extremity Ill relatively to the interconnecting pin 28 that retains the handle member I!) and lever 33 in pivotal assembled position. So that the part to be removed such as the grease retainer ring 3I,'wi1l not be mutilated to the extent that it will interfere with the withdrawal thereof, the grippers 38-39 are presented with rounded engaging extremities 52 that merges from the invantages or features thereof, and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations of the invention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a puller device, the combination with a flat bar member, of grippers pivotally mounted to said fiat bar member on opposite sides thereof, each of said grippers having an angular cross section providing at least two side faces overlying two sides of said bar, one side face of each of said grippers overlying the same side of said bar and providing opposed edges at that side of said bar in their collapsed position, slidable means on said flat bar member having a surface adapted to wedge between said opposed edges to spread said grippers from their collapsed position, handle means pivotally connected to said flat bar member for affecting the displacement thereof relative to another member, and an engaging element on said pivotally connected displacing handle means for more effectively operating said gripper mounted flat bar member and said grippers.

2. In a puller device, the combination with an elongated flat bar member, of substantially U- shaped grippers pivotally mounted to said elongated fiat bar member for edge reception thereon to present confronting surfaces overlying said fiat bar member and embracing the same in their collapsed position adjacent portions of said V-shaped grippers lying on the same side of said bar and presenting opposed edges, slidable means having a pointed extremity extending from a flat portion overlying said elongated fiat bar member in the path of said opposed edges for operation thereon to spread said grippers from their collapsed position, handle means slidably and pivotally connected to said elongated flat bar member for afiecting the displacement thereof relative to another member, and an engaging element on said pivotally connected displacing means for more effectively withdrawing said gripper mounted member, said flat bar member having a series of openings therein to receive said pivotally connected handle means therein for adjustment of the engaging element relative to the work.

EARL A. MCKEE. JOSEPH A, SCHACH'I'ELL. 

